When a chimney professional recommends a change, part, or repair it is for one reason: safety. As chimney professionals, our main goal is safety for the home, family, and community. This means that we strive to bring down instances of residential house fires. The best way to do this is to abide by fire safety codes, maintain the highest efficiency for each chimney system, and safeguard against malfunction. Chimney fires are preventable, along with many other chimney problems. One of the most important recommendations we can make to homeowners is to keep a cap on the chimney. Chimney caps serve many purposes and should be maintained year after year to work properly.

red brick chimney with cap

Caps Prevent Chimney Leaks


Your chimney cap will do its part in preventing chimney leaks. Water falls onto the cap the way it falls onto the roof of your home. It runs off the cap and onto the chimney crown. From there it is directed to a drip edge and falls onto the roof below. Without a cap, the precipitation in your area has direct access to your chimney’s interior. So, whether it’s rain, sleet, or snow, your chimney will take on water if it isn’t properly capped. Once water is allowed into the chimney system, it can destroy it from the inside out, causing rust, stains, deterioration, corrosion, and damage to the home’s structure and furniture. Leaky chimneys are not efficient or safe to use. They can be costly to repair and may diminish the value of your property. Don’t put your chimney at risk. Keep it capped!

Caps Prevent Animal Intrusion


Caps are equipped with a metal mesh that reaches from the top of the cap to the top of the chimney, keeping animals and debris from accessing the chimney opening. Whether you live in our community of Indianapolis, in the beachy Southeast, or the Pacific Northwest, there are animals that can climb onto your roof. If they can climb onto your roof, they can climb into your chimney. Without a cap, small mammals and birds can get into the flue, nest, leave droppings, and even suffocate and die. If animals gain access to the chimney you’ll need to call a chimney professional. At The Mad Hatter, we offer humane animal removal and we’ll check over your system to make sure it is safe for use following removal. If the animal has already left the chimney, we will check for debris, droppings, scratches, and other damage sustained by the intrusion.

Caps Prevent Accidental Fires


When the fire is burning, sparks often rise up the chimney still ignited. With a cap in place, these sparks and embers are stopped before they can rise out of the flue. When they hit the metal mesh the spark is extinguished and sent back down the flue. This prevents rooftop fires and even yard fires.

You can choose a cap that directs wind away from your flue or a cap that doubles as a damper, sealing the flue completely when the fire is out. The caps that we install and maintain at The Mad Hatter are top of the line brands.

If you need a cap or suspect your cap is outdated or damaged, call us today at 317-596-0200.